Category: Writing

I read an awesome book on fiction writing about writing deep scenes that engage the reader to keep reading. Many things I learned about scenes that it was mind blowing. It has me thinking about my first draft.

The book I read was called, “Writing Deep Scenes: Plotting Your Story Through Action, Emotion, and Theme.

A must-have for every writer!

The book expanded my thinking about a scene’s role in the story. Before, I thought a scene’s purpose shoved the story along until the end.

There are 15 different scenes and each scene can play an important part in the story. The book explains how to use a scene in the story. With the five Energetic Markers. I love the book explained the concepts in a crisp and clear way by using examples from popular novels.

I thought was helpful that the authors took their time at the end of the book to explain the theme. With wonderful suggestions and tips how to discover themes in my revision drafts.

2017 has officially arrived! The year is fresh with new beginnings and promises waiting to be seize. Perhaps, one of your goals is to write that novel or continue on a on-going novel. The realization sets in with the massive undertaking of writing a novel creeps into your thoughts and creating a wave of doubts to flutter around in your mind.

Now, the task seems more daunting and an overwhelming to finish the first draft of your manuscript.

Those are normal emotions to have from my experience. When I start a new project: a short story, a blog post, or the first chapter of my novel, I find myself in a brawl with the Mind Battles arena.

It’s the realization of the task of writing. In my mind I see what needs to be written. It can be a overwhelming emotion to deal with. At times, I wondered if I can write a scene at all; let alone, a complete first draft of a manuscript.

How I handle these battles in the Mind Battle arena with CCP Effect.

What is CCP Effect? That is a simple answer: Confidence, Commitment, and Passion. Three very important tools that writers need in their mental toolbox. When used the effect produces a complete first draft.

Confidence: Believing in your ability and your story despite the nagging doubts or fear that creeps into your mind. As you continue to pound away at the keyboard. That is confidence. At times, may not feel like it, but the strong belief to keep going no matter what your internal editor, family, and friends tell you.

Commitment: Setting a certain time in your schedule to sit down. Just write your story regardless how busy you are with work and family obligations. Even if you have 15 – 30 minutes, you can get a lot done.

Passion: Is simply put, a love for writing and always searching for ways to improve your writing abilities.

Let’s take a quick look at Confidence: it’s a belief in your ability and story no matter what your doubts say or the world. I see with newbies (beginning amateur writers) struggle with their internal editor while writing the first draft.

• When writing a first draft don’t show it to your friends and family. They will start sharing their opinions or give you unnecessarily feedback that you are not ready for. That can feed your doubts and your internal editor. I have learned that one, the hard way, by listening to others negative thoughts to much in the beginning of the writing process can kill a story.

• The first draft will be terrible. It’s not supposed too be perfect. So, don’t believe the myth it needs to be perfect, so just finish the first draft.

Commitment is where a lot of writers fail because they don’t make their writing a priority. It takes commitment to write a story, whether it’s a short story, novelette, novella, or novel because it takes time to develop the story. Writers who don’t set time in their schedule won’t have a complete draft of their work or take a long time to complete it; I have witnessed that with my writer friends.

Tips on Commitment:

• Be realistic about your life and your obligations. If you are married with children and working a full time job. Let’s say you have health issues besides your other obligations. Is it a realistic goal to have a first draft completed in a month? Most people fail because they don’t study their reality of their life. Your writing goals must fit with your life style and your schedule.

• If your schedule is jammed full of your obligations, then carved out 15 – 30 minutes everyday or three days. You will be surprise how much you can get done in writing the first draft.

• By setting a certain time in your schedule you will start getting your creative juices flowing. You’ll find over time sitting down to write will be easier to get the story on paper or screen.

Passion is something you love to do that brings you joy in life, like the love for writing. I don’t know if passion is born or develops over time. It is an important ingredient of success to be a publish author in today’s market. Passion will keep you going in those dark moments of writing when it seems hopeless.

With the New Year just around the corner you may be thinking about writing that novel or story in 2017. Nothing wrong to having a goal about writing. In reality, writing is a good way to keep your mind active and strong.

From my experience there are three types of writers: the hobby writer, the amateur writer, and the professional writer. It is a good idea to figure out which writer you are, and most of us will fit in two categories the hobby writer and amateur writer.

The hobby writer is a person who enjoys writing in his/her spare time by creating poems, stories and keeping a journal. This person loves creating with words and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The amateur writer is a person who has the desire to become published by writing a novel and searching for techniques to take his/her writing to the next level.

The professional writer is published and has established his/her writing career.

The vast difference between the hobby and amateur writer is that the amateur writer is searching out ways to improve his/her craft by reading novels and books on fiction writing, taking a class, attending a writers group, writing, and learning from his/her favorite authors.

Another huge difference writing a novel takes commitment, dedication, and passion. These three words, weed out the amateurs and the hobbyists for writing a novel isn’t easy and at times just plain old difficult.

There is no greater thrill to have a complete manuscript ready to be edited at your fingertips at the end of the first phase.